Lipsey’s does not manufacture guns. What they do—and what they’re good at—is specking out modified, almost-custom versions of factory-offered firearms. The reason Lipsey’s is good at what they do is because they listen to experienced shooters and hunters who can see the upgrade potential in factory guns that manufacturers often overlook. That’s exactly what Lipsey’s has done with this revolver, by building on the idea of a revolver S&W offered but discontinued a little more than a decade ago. Like is often said, it’s the little things, and the little things are what make Lispsey’s exclusive Smith & Wesson Model 386 NightGuard the special revolver that it is.
- Chambering: 38 Special/357 Magnum
- Action: Double Action Revolver
- Sights: Adjustable rear and XS Sights Tritium front
- Barrel: 3 inches
- Length: 8.18 inches
- Weight: 24 ounces
- Frame: Scandium frame (anodized)/Stainless cylinder (PVD)
- Grips: Rubber
- Trigger: 3.5 pounds (single-action) 8.5 pounds (double-action)
- Capacity: 7 rounds
- Accessories: Hard-sided case
- MSRP: $1,269
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Lipsey’s S&W 386 NightGuard Overview
The New Model 386 NightGuard is built on Smith & Wesson’s L-frame, however, the frame on this revolver is made of Scandium and the seven-round cylinder is stainless steel. Original Smith & Wesson NightGuard revolvers had a 2.5-inch barrel, but this Lipsey’s version has a 3.0-inch barrel, with a full-length underlug and importantly, a full-length ejection rod.
While the original NightGuard revolvers had a fixed rear sight, these new NightGuards have a fully adjustable rear sight. The front site on the Model 386 is a 0.130-inch wide square post sight, but it is an XS sight with a Tritium insert inside a brilliant and highly visible green ring. This revolver does not have the internal key-lock common to newer Smith & Wesson revolvers, which is a feature that’s hated by many purists. However, these revolvers do have the better ball-detent lockup, which is much more solid and allows for a thicker forcing cone.
Other features include a narrow hammer and a smooth trigger with a black-oxide coating. The PVD coated cylinder is beveled on the front edge to help with holstering and the chambers are chamfered to help with loading, by hand, with speed loaders or with speed strips. The Scandium frame is black anodized with Titanium pins and there’s a hardened steel blast shield in the top strap. It has a Hogue Bantam grip with three finger grooves, but the butt of the grip is rounded and beveled in the back to help with concealability.
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Lipsey’s Model 386 NightGuard Test Results
Test firing began at 10 yards from the bench using 38 Special ammunition and progressed to more potent 357 Magnum loads. Both 130-grain 38 Special loads were very comfortable to shoot, but as expected, with the 125- and 154-grain 357 Magnum loads recoil was noticeably stiffer though not abusive. However, the 180-grain Heavy Outdoorsman Buffalo Bore load got your attention with heavy, wrist-twisting recoil. With nearly twice the recoil of some of the other loads the Outdoorsman load was manageable, but it was a handful. This is not a knock on the revolver, just a ballistic fact representing what happens when you combine that much power with a 24-ounce handgun. All the precision testing was conducted in the single-action mode and the trigger broke crisp and clean at 3.5 pounds.
Most of the shooting was done in the double-action mode on steel targets away from the bench, which is a much more realistic way to test a revolver like this. The double-action trigger pull was reasonably smooth and surprisingly light, releasing the hammer with right at 8.5 pounds of pressure. Experienced revolver shooters will not have a problem hammering an 8-inch steel plate in the double-action mode at around 25 yards and even beyond.
I really appreciated the light weight of this revolver. I carried it on my hip for a week, and fully-loaded it weighs about the same as a new compact 9mm Glock G26 V. As a carry or trail gun, this is important because you will carry them a hell of a lot more than you will shoot them. The chamfered front edge of the cylinder was also nice when holstering, as were the chamfered chambers when loading. The feature I appreciated most was the highly visible glow-in-the-dark front sight. The sight’s flat top made it easy to align the sights for precision shooting, and the sight’s radiance made it quick to acquire during rapid engagement drills from the holster and during follow-up shots.
Final Thoughts on Lipsey’s S&W 386 NightGuard
Pros
- Lightweight
- Tritium front sight
- 7-round capacity
Cons
- Stiff recoil with full power loads
Handguns get saddled with a variety of names to describe their practical application. They are sometimes called carry guns, hunting guns, trail guns, and home-defense guns. This exclusive NightGuard from Lipsey’s could serve in any of those roles, but I think it best described as a “packing pistol.” Its 3-inch barrel increased the sight radius just enough to help with accuracy at distance, and it does not weigh so much it is not comfortable on your side. Though hard hitting 357 Magnum loads generate some stiff recoil in this revolver, they are manageable, making it suitable for personal protection or predator defense with the right loads. If you wanted an everyday-carry revolver that would be just as at home on your side when hunting, the Model 386 NightGuard is hard to beat.
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